In this episode, Leanne dives into emotional dysregulation—why your teen melts down over the smallest things and can't bring themselves back down.

When a teen experiences something that feels threatening, stressful, or overwhelming, their brain's alarm system (the amygdala) goes off and sends them into fight-or-flight mode. Their heart rate spikes, their breathing gets shallow, and their prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for rational thinking and emotional regulation—goes offline.

That's why your teen can't "just calm down" when you tell them to. Their "sound mind" is literally offline.

And here's the thing: In teenagers, the prefrontal cortex is still under construction. It's not fully developed until around age 25. So when a teen's brain goes into fight-or-flight, it's even harder for them to bring themselves back down.

But here's the good news: We can teach students how to regulate their nervous system. We can teach them how to go from fight-or-flight to calm in under 30 seconds. Even if they've never been able to calm down before. Even if meditation doesn't work for them. The way we teach it at Teenager Brain is different—it's a foolproof way to access the nervous system through the sensory system, and anyone can do it.

Leanne shares powerful examples of what changes when students learn to regulate—from handling friend drama without spiraling, to processing a bad grade without melting down, to navigating social media rejection without falling apart.

This is what happens when we teach students how to regulate their nervous system. Not perfection. Not eliminating hard things. Just giving students the tools to process their emotions, respond instead of react, and be emotionally available to themselves.

Ready to bring these tools to your school or teen? Head over to TeenagerBrain.com to request a free sample lesson. You'll see exactly how the Teenager Brain curriculum works and test-drive a full lesson yourself.

We're looking for our next 25 pilot schools for Fall 2026. This is a 4-week plug-and-play emotional fitness program that teaches students how to regulate their emotions, separate truth from lies, and build a self-image that lasts—without adding to your workload.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @LeanneEllington // @theteenagerbrain

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Leanne exposes the attention crisis that's affecting every single teenager right now—and reveals what social media platforms know about teen brains that most parents and educators don't.

The average teen now spends between four and five hours a day on social media. And teens who spend three or more hours a day have double the risk of anxiety and depression. Heavily addicted younger teens show two to three times the risk of suicidal behavior.

But it's not just about the time. It's about how their brain is interacting with the content.

Every swipe, every like, every new video delivers a hit of dopamine—the "feel good" neurotransmitter. And over time, the teenage brain learns to crave that dopamine hit. It becomes addicted to the scroll. And when the scroll stops, the brain goes into withdrawal.

Leanne breaks down the three major forces rewiring teenage brains: dopamine dysregulation, chronic distraction and the death of deep focus, and comparison culture that ties self-worth to external validation.

But here's the good news: Dopamine dysregulation can be reversed. Attention can be retrained. And self-worth can be rebuilt from the inside out.

Leanne shares powerful examples of what changes when students learn to notice the dopamine trap, separate their worth from their likes, and retrain their attention—so they're not slaves to the scroll anymore.

Ready to bring these tools to your school or teen? Head over to TeenagerBrain.com to request a free sample lesson. You'll see exactly how the Teenager Brain curriculum works and test-drive a full lesson yourself.

We're looking for our next 25 pilot schools for Fall 2026. This is a 4-week plug-and-play emotional fitness program that teaches students how to regulate their emotions, separate truth from lies, and build a self-image that lasts—without adding to your workload.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @LeanneEllington // @theteenagerbrain

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Leanne dives into why schools have become mental health first responders—and why they're not equipped to handle it.

96% of schools report skyrocketing mental health needs, but only half have the staff to address them. Counselors are managing caseloads of 400-600 students. And teachers—who became educators to inspire minds—are now carrying the emotional weight of 30+ students every single day, leading to record burnout rates.

60% of teens who receive mental health support get it exclusively at school. So when the system is overwhelmed, students fall through the cracks—and parents feel stuck with nowhere to turn.

Leanne pulls back the curtain on what's really happening in schools, why teachers and administrators are drowning despite working their butts off, and why this is a systemic problem no one could have seen coming.

But here's the good news: There IS a solution. And it doesn't require hiring more counselors, years of therapy, or overhauling the entire system. It just requires teaching students the tools to regulate themselves.

Leanne shares real examples of what changes when students learn to regulate their emotions in under 30 seconds, separate data from drama, and build a self-image that doesn't crumble—so parents and teachers aren't carrying it all.

Ready to bring these tools to your school or teen? Head over to TeenagerBrain.com to request a free sample lesson. You'll see exactly how the Teenager Brain curriculum works and test-drive a full lesson yourself.

We're looking for our next 25 pilot schools for Fall 2026. This is a 4-week plug-and-play emotional fitness program that teaches students how to regulate their emotions, separate truth from lies, and build a self-image that lasts—without adding to your workload.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @LeanneEllington // @theteenagerbrain

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Leanne launches a special 5-part series on the teenage brain crisis—and why today's teens are struggling in ways we've never seen before.

Nearly 1 in 3 teen girls seriously considered suicide in the past year. 42% of high school students report persistent sadness or hopelessness. This isn't just a mental health crisis. It's a brain wiring crisis.

Leanne explains how social media is fundamentally rewiring the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)—the self-image brain—for anxiety, comparison, and emotional dysregulation instead of resilience. The patterns being wired into teen brains right now will become the default settings they live with for decades.

But here's the good news: Teen brains are plastic. They can be rewired. And ages 12 to 25 are the most transformable years of life.

Drawing from her own teenage struggles and 15 years of coaching adults through patterns that started in adolescence, Leanne introduces the four critical tools every teen needs to build emotional fitness and resilience before these patterns become permanent.

Ready to bring these tools to your school or teen? Head over to TeenagerBrain.com to request a free sample lesson. You'll see exactly how the Teenager Brain curriculum works and test-drive a full lesson yourself.

We're looking for our next 25 pilot schools for Fall 2026. This is a 4-week plug-and-play emotional fitness program that teaches students how to regulate their emotions, separate truth from lies, and build a self-image that lasts—without adding to your workload.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @LeanneEllington // @theteenagerbrain

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Leanne explores the question: “What would it look like to trust God with my body?” Drawing from her personal journey and the experiences of many women, Leanne delves into the idea that trusting God with our bodies isn't about achieving perfection but about surrendering control and embracing our God-given worth.

Leanne outlines five transformative shifts that can lead to healing: ceasing the pursuit of worthiness through self-fixing, discerning God's voice over shame, moving from control to stewardship, partnering with God in our journey, and anchoring our identity in Christ rather than our reflection. This episode serves as a compassionate guide for those seeking freedom from body image struggles, reminding them that peace and healing are possible through a partnership with God

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Leanne explores the question: “Is my obsession with food a spiritual battle?” Drawing from her personal journey and the experiences of countless women, Leanne delves into the idea that struggles with food and body image are not merely about willpower or discipline but are deeply rooted in spiritual warfare, and how the enemy often uses lies and shame to keep us trapped in cycles of obsession and self-condemnation.

Leanne offers a compassionate and faith-filled perspective, encouraging listeners to shift from self-condemnation to curiosity, to take their thoughts captive, and to invite God into their healing journey. She underscores the importance of recognizing food as a gift from God, not a master, and our bodies as temples to be honored, not projects to be perfected. Through practical steps and biblical truths, this episode serves as a guide for those seeking freedom from food obsession, reminding them that they are not alone and that true healing is possible through partnership with God.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

What's God Got to Do With It is an iHeartRadio podcast on the Amy Brown Podcast network. It's written and hosted by Leanne Ellington, Executive Produced by Elizabeth Fazio, Post Production and Editing by Houston Tilley, and Original music written by Cheryl Stark & produced by Adam Stark.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's episode is going to be a wild ride, as we dive headfirst into a conversation that's bound to be one of the most raw and real shares we've ever had.

Yep, you guessed it - we're talking about sex. But hold on, we're not approaching it the way you've heard a million times before.

Our mission here at The God Pod? To flip the script and invite you into a judgment-free zone where we can explore your relationship with yourself (and with God) without any shame weighing us down.

Joining me on this journey are my dear friends and mentors, Kevin and Rea Queen, who I affectionately call my "fairy godparents". Together, we're diving deep into my own experiences, baring it all in the hopes of showing you that there's no room for shame or condemnation when faith is your compass.

When I first stumbled upon this whole idea of "saving myself" for marriage, I didn't fully grasp what I was getting into. But as my relationship with my now-husband evolved, so did my understanding of commitment.

Before I knew it, we were on a journey of self-discovery and revelation, strengthening our bond in ways I never thought possible. And as our wedding day approached, I felt this urge to share our story, to shed light on how my faith journey transformed my views on love, intimacy, and self-worth.

So here we are, laying it all out on the table, hoping to spark some honest conversations and remind you that your journey is valid, unique, and oh-so-worthy.

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington

GUEST: Kevin & Rea Queen from @Crosspoint.tv

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

What's God Got to Do With It is an iHeartRadio podcast on the Amy Brown Podcast network. It's written and hosted by Leanne Ellington, Executive Produced by Elizabeth Fazio, Post Production and Editing by Houston Tilley, and Original music written by Cheryl Stark & produced by Adam Stark.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us for a deeply personal conversation as we sit down with Jenny Robinson-Clark, debut children's book author and my dear friend of over 30 years. Jenny opens up about her heart-wrenching journey following the loss of her mother and the miraculous signs from heaven that inspired her beautiful book, "Are You Here?: A Story about the Magical Signs All Around Us."

When Jenny lost her mom, her world was turned upside down. But in the weeks that followed, something extraordinary began to happen—she started receiving signs. A rainbow on a cloudy day. An owl on her porch. A butterfly in the park. At first, she wondered if she was imagining it. But the signs kept coming, and she realized: her mom was still here. Not gone. Just... different.

In this episode, Jenny shares how God orchestrated those sacred moments and used nature to speak to her grieving heart, why she felt called to write a children's book that teaches kids (and adults) that love never leaves—it just changes form, and the heartbreaking question every grieving child asks—"Can they still see me?"—and why her book answers with a resounding YES.

This isn't just a children's book. It's a bedtime story that heals, not just entertains. It's for anyone who's ever lost someone and looked for a sign—and found one.

Join us as we explore Jenny's beautiful story of hope birthed out of grief, and learn how to open your heart, ask for a sign, and trust that your loved ones are still with you. Be prepared for an inspiring conversation filled with faith, wonder, and the reminder that love doesn't end—it just finds new ways to say hello.

GUEST: @JennyRobinsonClark
Jenny's Book: Are You Here?: A Story about the Magical Signs All Around Us
Pre-Order: https://www.jennyrobinsonclark.com/

HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington

To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.

What's God Got to Do With It is an iHeartRadio podcast on the Amy Brown Podcast network. It's written and hosted by Leanne Ellington, Executive Produced by Elizabeth Fazio, Post Production and Editing by Houston Tilley, and Original music written by Cheryl Stark & produced by Adam Stark.

Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.